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I finished the day at home after safely driving back from Portland in the Air VW the Gray. I had to take the high bridge, which I never like, but I am always impressed that the on-ramp is higher than the bridge deck. No stalled cars or other hazards, with light traffic, making it an easy return to Beaverton.

I did the dishes after making lunch. There was enough stuff to run the dishwasher. I plugged in the EV to charge, having avoided it during the hot weather. The local electrical grid was stressed by the AC use; I could see some blinking of power with the AC, dishwasher, and charging. I waited until the evening, when usage is at its lowest.

Aside: The EV uses less power than the laundry and far less than the stove. EVs will not cause the grid to collapse, despite claims in the right-leaning media, but if your power company is using Coal to create power, you might as well enjoy a gas car. Here in the Pacific Northwest, our electrical power is from hydro, wind, and solar, with some natural gas plants to balance the system. Any carbon is covered by plantings and the usual green credits. Oregon has no nuclear plants as it was realized years ago that earthquakes and tsunamis do not go well with nuclear systems!

I read and had some crackers and soon was nodding off. I put on my PJs and crawled into bed after putting the last of the laundry away. I woke at 12:30, 3, and 6. This is a pattern I’ve been experiencing most nights. I just roll over.

Before this, I arrived early at Richard’s house with instructions to play upstairs, and I learned that Richard needed a new AC system and was looking at investing in a green system, including replacing an aging water heater with a tankless version. Still, the impact on the walls and ceiling, due to re-piping, forced him to replace them like-for-like. AC replacement usually means replacing the furnace to ensure everything matches. Yikes!

It was not too hot in the house, in the 70s, and we played a board game, Merchant Cove, with four people, with me trying to be the Captain again. I scored last, taking on too much corruption, but only a few points behind Kathleen. I had taken on too much corruption, and that cost me 49 points. I was leading for a moment, and on my last turn, I managed to pour in the points.

Merchant Cove is a lovely asymmetric Euro-style game where each player takes on a unique role and plays a different game. I was playing a simple fishing game. Chris was raising dragons. Kathleen was diving for treasures under the sea. Richard was running a bar and inn. I like the game, but I have only learned one version so far.

Chris and I, after the game, talked about my HOPE_16 conference and talked about hacking. I described some of the best presentations I saw (LLM flaws, ATM hacking, and phone hacking devices), but then had a coughing attack from the hot air and some bad air, I suspect. Richard followed along.

It was a good evening, though the coughing was hard to stop. Water and inhailer got it under control. Yikes!

Before heading to Richard’s, I stayed home and inside as the temperature reached 103°F (40°C); glaciers on Mount Hood look smaller. I found a pork chop I had frozen a few months ago and decided it was time to cook it. I used water dripping in a pan to defrost it.

I found the last of the carrots, peeled them, and sliced them into coins. I steamed them. A can of baked beans was opened and heated. I did not want to run the oven, but the pork chop was too thick to cook in a pan. I baked it for fifteen minutes until it was finished; I checked it with an electronic food thermometer.

I recently watched the Nova science show on the findings of graves in the floor of Notre Dame in Paris. They also discovered the broken remains of a screen that used to stand around the altar area (using less precise words). I did not know that before the Counter-Reformation, a screen was around the altar area and the celebration of the Eucharist was kept private to the local clergy (again using less precise words). Most screens were demolished, and in Notre Dame’s case, the broken remains were buried with the body of a cleric who paid for the changes. Fascinating, as I had forgotten the Counter-Reformation included the elimination of many medieval traditions in the Roman Catholic mass. The broken screen bits are being scanned, and there is hope to someday have a virtual version of the screen created. Without the fire, this would remain lost, which is one positive aspect. It was a wonderful documentary.

I ate my pork chop, beans, and carrots, and also enjoyed the leftover beans and carrots stored in glassware (thanks, Glenda and Gene). I ate while watching the show.

Before this, I drove to the framing store and picked up my posters from the New Member Class I am teaching in September. It was hot, and I just grabbed them and drove home. I printed twenty flyers for Sunday on my printer. The EV was already down to 40% and I did charge it for a bit to get it back to 49% for the trip to Portland and back. It is about 10% there and back to Richard’s house, but I would like to have some extra charge for the AC and emergencies.

Before this, I wrote the blog and talked with Deborah. We also talked when I drove here and there. I also did the church email on the refresh and continue to help that move forward. I did Dungeons & Dragons paperwork and sent out a short summary of the treasure found in the last play.

It was a busy day, and I am headed to Michigan on Thursday. I woke around 7:30 after rolling over a few times.

Thanks for reading.

 

 

It is hot on Friday, and it is expected to get even hotter on Saturday, 100°F+. A tough weekend for Hood-to-Coast runners! The air is thick with pollen, and my nose, eyes, and ears (though only one has hearing now) are all bothered. I rise early, still confused about what time zone I am in, and get coffee that I assembled the night before.

Today I was meeting Kathleen in Portland for a writing session. Yes, we would both just write on our devices and talk about our stories. We would try out Lucky Labrador on Hawthorn, with me there early to avoid traffic. I don’t mind a few beers and peanuts, and I loaded some solo board games into the cargo hold of Air VW the Gray to play if I get tired of writing.

I invested the morning in writing the blog, replying, and writing various church paperwork on the refresh I am working on, and updating my finances in Quicken. I had moved money to my checking account to be invested in US Treasury Bills (short-term instruments, 17 weeks, Aug 25th auction, about 4.something% state-tax-free interest). I am tempted to invest in 20-year US Treasury Bonds amid concerns about an impending interest-rate cut. The US bonds are unlikely to be this delightful in the foreseeable future, but this money is intended for my expenses. So tempting — paying almost 5% of state-tax-free interest and will likely appreciate in market value when the rates are cut.

Cake and eat it too, like moment. No cake, but breakfast is just some biscuits with my favorite spread, Orange Marmalade.

I shower and all that. I wear my new pants, and they fit well, being slightly longer, which means I can now pull them up further. I failed to start the laundry, and it is too late to fit in the two hours needed to run the small Friday load. My laundry days are Monday and Friday, with Monday getting sheets and towels. This is a habit from the days during the pandemic when Monday and Friday were still work-from-home days.

I also read more quantum computer stuff and still am quite confused how one will actually do anything useful, but I am still learning and skilling-up.

I collect my Einstein poster that I have had since college and never framed. I have carried with me since the 1980s, and now it will find a wall. I collect the MoMA poster of Starry Starry Night that I had shipped from NYC. I have two informational posters for my class that I loaded with all of this into Air VW the Gray.

It is an investment to frame Einstein and Starry Starry Night at the frame store. Mounting the educational posters is not cheap, but they will be more useful that way. The framed items will take a week or more, but the items for my class will be ready this weekend. I return to the house, it is already hot out, water the roses and trees, and have a bowl of reheated chili for lunch.

Traffic is messy, not what I expected, but later learned that OMSI was an organizing site for the Hood-to-Coast Run. Lucky Labrador was not open when I arrived at its opening time, 2PM. It is too hot to wait, and instead, I visit Guardian Games Portland and discover that they have the Flip 7-card game for $10. I get a copy. It is a fun and quick game. There was nothing else that got my attention.

I returned to Lucky’s, and it was open and blissfully AC’d. I ordered a beer and peanuts. I wrote another church email this time, specifically for the Civil Rights trip in November in the American South. I read more news, doom scrolling for us liberals. As I start editing my novel, I find many wooden phrases and outright mistakes. I use Grammarly to help, but it often changes content instead of fixing something. I mostly use it as a suggestion tool to see what it wants to change. I usually take a word or two that I hand change, but reject the general updates. It is seldom helpful in its complete form. Deborah reminds me, when I talked to her later, that this is the process of moving from draft to final form. Still, I am disheartened by the mistakes.

Kathleen joins me after a long day at work, and we chatted before getting to writing. It was loud, as the place was full of people, many playing collectable card games. Most of the tables are in use.

Kathleen puts on noise-canceling headphones, while I ignore the noise (with my hearing loss, it is easier to ignore). I continue to use Scrivener to write my story, and I read through the previous work, fixing and updating my character lists in the tool. I am having trouble remembering them. I began aligning the text with the correct names and incorporating some later writing. Kathleen draws a map of her fantasy world, and we are both writing fantasy. We continue for an hour or so.

I stumbled upon Rimsky-Korsakoffee House while searching for a dessert place. We had sandwiches for dinner, but a sweet dessert seemed right after writing, and maybe it will be quieter, and we can write there. We pack up, I pay the bill, and we take Air VW the Gray for the short trip in the hot early evening in Portland. I manage to parallel park the EV without effort, forgetting how much smaller it is than my previous cars. The place is packed, loud (if not louder than Lucky’s), dark, and the tables are small. It is not a place for writing. We have excellent desserts, and I remember it is cash only, and I have only $25, and Kathleen happens to have an emergency $20, so we can pay (I would have had to find an ATM otherwise). My tea and ginger cake were excellent. Kathleen had a Sunday and a hot chocolate.

We will search for other dessert places and venues that are friendly to writing but also offer food and drinks. We were both happy to get somewhere without writing. We both headed home, traffic was sane, and though I did cross the tall bridge and the huge on-ramp, I arrived intact. I had a car that stalled out after the tunnel in the midlane, causing a sudden brake and a traffic mess. I managed to not hit anyone or be rear-ended. Yikes!

I arrived home and did the laundry, dishes, and assembled the coffee. I tried to read more on factoring algorithms and downloaded a file of the first million known prime numbers. I learned that the hardest factoring is semi-primes, which are large integer numbers that are the product of only two prime numbers (remembering we already have lists of millions of primes that take only a single lookup to check against). I am already envisioning a Python program to solve factoring. I also began reading about newer technologies that utilize elliptical curves and factoring combination, following the discovery that factoring could be broken (the NSA appears to have knowingly recommended a breakable standard, to the disgust of the computer community).

Back to the laundry, I finished my shirts and pants, and let the rest finish while I went to bed. I read for a while, finding my Kindle device to let my phone charge (and the Kindle is kinder to my eyes). I was soon sleepy and forgot my dreams, but I woke often.

Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

I spent the last part of my night reading Python code simulating quantum particles. The simulation uses matrices to describe the particles, which I remember is the basis for the equations we use to understand quantum forces. I have only the basic classical high-school level physics. I made no progress on how to use this to create a program using just quantum functions to factor numbers. But I will continue to explore. I am already thinking of building some parallel processing programs to handle some small-scale numbers. My head is full of words and pictures, but no understanding. I find it best to just swim mentally in the sea of information until I start to see the patterns. It is how I play board games (which means I seldom win), design computer systems (which often run for years and decades), and write stories.  I often proceed, as in board games, using my limited understanding to explore further. I watch and learn. So I am diving in. I need the physics understanding, the math for the physics, and the number theory to get far. Lots of things to pour into my head. Love it (though it is daunting to realize how much I need to skill-up).

I did finish Deborah’s day with a call. We enjoy starting and finishing our days together.

Before this, I watched some more of the show Wednesday, getting two more episodes done. I also slipped over to some of Sandman, but I don’t like the new season and will not likely be back (it also was covering death, and that hits too close to home). Returning to the Addams, I find the changes to the show enjoyable for the second season. I miss Wednesday writing her novel, but I enjoy getting updates on her character. I find I cannot predict the show, and I like that. Recommended.

I made dinner before watching some shows. I mainly opened cans and fried ground beef to make chili. At Market of Choice, I found a large can of Muir Glen Organic Chili Starter (non-GMO to go all green), which you then add meat and beans to, and it works well. Checking the label, it is mostly tomatoes with spices (with the dehydrated onion, onion powder, and garlic powder for those with allergies). I watched the movie, for the nth time, Dungeons & Dragons, while cooking. The chili was good with the mixed beans and some white beans, and the just-browned meat. I ate it while watching Wednesday Addams work her next case. I would add sliced and cooked celery, maybe some corn, and if it were a heat-tolerant customer, some Hatch chilis. Still, it was excellent and quick, and I will acquire more cans and store some beans for the next time I want some chili.

I did have some wine while cooking, a nice, cheap French wine (see below).

I planned to freeze the mass of chili, but alas, I have no bags. I had missed out on my trip to Market of Choice. I went there after 3 in Air VW the Gray and enjoyed shopping, having changed my mind about trying Costco. A woman who works in wine and beer at the grocery store, which has a nice selection, asked me if she could help me. I was eyeing Château Greysac (it was my first Medoc), but the $44 price had me putting the bottle back, with care. We discussed the ridiculous prices of wine, and she pointed out a $20 bottle that I took home. I thanked her, but she tried not to show her disappointment that I had acquired more wine. Just enough for the week, a bottle. I like my wine cheap enough that I can add it to the sauce without wincing.

I found some meats in the case that worked for me, some chicken and beef. I picked up a few premium items, planning to cook for myself over the next week since I am in Oregon. I got my favorite frozen pizza, Screamin’ Sicilian. I remembered some cleaning supplies. Ice cream, an unusual choice for me, was a far cheaper option when I ate it from a small tub at home instead of getting a cone at Salt & Straw. It was locally made by Umpqua Dairy, which was the least expensive.

Before this, I was out finding lunch at The Lake Oswego Grill and sat at the bar. Adam was my bartender, and he was at PF Chang’s before, so we remembered each other. I had the steak salad and a beer. It was not cheap, but it was a wonderful salad, possibly the best steak salad I have had for flavor. However, the beef was tough.

I picked up my pants from the cleaners, and they are shortened and ready to wear. New from Lands End. My pants are showing wear; it was time to get some new ones.

My Stary Stary Night poster arrived from MoMA. It was only $9 for shipping, with no tax, and came in a protective tube. I ordered it after seeing it in their shop.

Before all of that, I rose around 7 and wrote the blog, updated my transactions in Quicken, and wrote the blog for Wednesday.

Thanks for reading.

 

It is Thursday morning when I write this, and the sun has been up for a while. I woke up at Eastern Time sunrise, rolled over, and then woke up for sunrise in Pacific Time, and rolled over again. My body did not have time to switch to Eastern, meaning now I am completely mixed up. I head for a short trip to Michigan a week from now.

It is nice to be home, but my office is a mess, and the house looks disorganized. Oddly, even with the endless spending on travel, my finances are doing well. My revenge on Trump is to live well and spend it. When I am too old to travel, I will give it away to local liberal causes. And sorry for the political comment to my Republican friends, but F**k you, Trump!

Aside: Although the math does not pencil out to giving away some to cover the taxes on the cash I withdraw from my IRA to live on, it is not a total waste. For about an increased 20-30% burn of cash, I can give away a lot of money (well, for me it is a lot, F**K you, billionaires) to liberal and my church and pay little in tax. I like that. I will also start Social Security (if those F**kers in DOGE and in the Republican controlled Congress have not made it impossible for new filers to get paid).

More: Sorry again to my right or center-right American readers, but after my experience with TSA, I am a little more pushed to the left now. I understand that the TSA sent me a note stating it was not their fault, but Delta’s. However, I had assumed the TSA was responsible for airport security. Growl! Apparently, the only person keeping you safe and headed the right way in an airport is yourself. 

Returning to Wednesday, my coffee is locally roasted and from the local veggie market at 185th and TV Highway. It is dark and bitter, much like the current administration. I drink deep and let the bitter come. I am reminded that Justice with Compassion is the goal, and how bitter it will be for so many bad actors when we finally reach this goal. While it seems contradictory, for me, dear reader, the darker/bitter the moment, the brighter/sweeter it will be soon. It is called Hope.

I drink half a pot of dark coffee to keep going. I am almost bouncing in my chair as I write more than 1,600 words, and I still rushed the ending. It was a crazy and educational day yesterday. The highs and lows of my experience were invaluable. I love to travel!

I make coffee by grinding the beans, from Gather, Darkness brand, using my brush to clean every bit of coffee dust from the grinder, and then filling it with tap water (where a coffee purist might just wince). I shook out all the laundry from my bags, and moved the clean stuff (though wrinkled) to hangers or put it away. I did two loads of laundry in The Machine, which was expensively repaired ($380 to replace the sensor, and then free to fix the leak that was caused by the repair). It worked without coding or flooding. About two hours per load, when loads are smallish. I continued writing while doing two loads. My iPhone App for LG tracks the progress. I did not buy a smart dishwasher (for an additional $200) because I did not want it, like a Douglas Adams story, to happily inform me of its status. I also get updates from Air VW the Gray. It is currently worrying that its doors are unlocked (inside the garage). My experience with so-called Smart Devices makes me sure that the definitions of smart and intelligence are too imprecise.

Returning to Wednesday, I wrote and wrote, and took a screenshot of the TSA explanations and put that in the blog (the screenshot text is generally not searchable), and included that with my pictures of Queens Zoo and the nearby park. With that finally done, I showered, and all of that.

I spent time in the morning and afternoon reading more about quantum computers, and I learned that the math is deep and the physics is outside of my high school level classes. I will need to skills-up to work on this. I decided that this was the direction I wanted to go after all the options that HOPE_16 offered. I am less interested in traditional hacking, which involves breaking into computers. Instead, I am interested in breaking encryption with a simulated quantum computer, an older form of hacking — more Maker and DIY. Years ago, when I applied to work for the NSA right out of college, this was the area I wanted to work in; I am grateful that I did not end up in the shadows.

I am at a loss to understand how the traveling salesman problem can be broken by a quantum computer, but it might be possible after learning about Concord software and its ability to produce a good-enough solution on large versions of the problem. Python has an open-source simulator for this work, and I am starting to read and understand it. The gap between my understanding and math/physics is significant, but I would like to try.

Encryptment uses factoring and elliptic curve calculations, and interestingly, the ellipse problem I worked on in the 1980s, trying to use FORTRAN’s math libraries to calculate, and failing, to solve inexact measurements of ellipse to determine the actual original ellipse, an unsolvable problem (though I thought it could be solved with something now that I have read about in the Concord software).

I purchased a new Raspberry Pi 5, a ready-to-use system and monitor, from SparkFun. I want to make sparkling lights to show the status of the simulated quantum computer, and a Pi seemed a good choice. I ordered the whole kit because I did not wish to assemble it from various parts I already had. I initially wanted something easy that would let me focus on programming.

I stopped in Beaverton at Powell’s, where I picked up a used number theory book for about $15 and a Ritter chocolate bar (Eric A, “Elric,” loved them, and I think of him whenever I get one). I also dined at Pastrini nearby and saw Charlotte J, who was having lunch there too. Charlotte and I agreed this one was better than most, and the portion sizes for lunch were perfect ($13 plus drink). Charlotte started me on the path of remodeling part of the church; it was her idea, and I think of her often as I press the process forward.

I read more about Quantum at lunch (here), and I found the Python class and notebooks on how to use the simulation, called QuTiP (Python tradition is to use crazy names for things). My goal is to utilize quantum computing code in Python to solve a reduced version of factoring on a Raspberry Pi 5 (with added flashing lights), thereby breaking easier encryption as a dazzling demonstration. I may have to search out some online classes on math (I don’t remember much of my linear algebra) and matrix versions of the physics calculations. I have taught myself AI, Python coding, and various other things.

To start such a journey is the hardest part. You see the path in your mind, and that is not too bad. Then, the clouds part, and you realize that what you saw was just a waystation, with the summit far off. There are also requirements for the journey that look difficult, and those are the ones you know!

But I love to travel, even in just my mind. Time to start. Equipment is on its way! I have a book that I can barely read, and it is written in English, but I have it. Here we go!

I get Tiramisu to go. I am tired (and a bit overwhelmed) and arrive home and take a nap. I rise, finish the laundry, clean the kitchen, and have the Italian dessert for lunch. I take Air VW the Gray to First United Methodist Church and meet the choir and Z. Z and I play the board game, Concordia, using the Roma board. Z gets every good move, and soon leads me by twenty points! I build and collect many personality cards, but those don’t Z. The Mason card, usually a weak card, supplies Z with bricks and points for brick-cities. I manage to chase her to the end, but she finishes her houses, scoring seven points for ending the game, and that is enough to beat me by seven points, though I would say the Mason card works well in the Roma board. I passed on it three times. Hmmm. Next time!

We agree that the newish board, Roma, with its alternative rules for ships, makes the game better. Recommended. We might try Sicily (on the reverse of the Roma board) next, with its erupting volcano, because it looks fun. A standee volcano on the board!

I returned home, and instead of sleeping, I watched the next episode of Wednesday, which led me to miss the clues in the second episode. I would recommend it because it has some great lines. For example, when asked if Wednesday’s mom, Morticia, could be convinced to leave, “That casket is closed,” explained Gomez. Recommended, though I found the storyline confusing.

It was still not late, but I put on my PJs and read. I am enjoying The House at Devil’s Neck: A Locked-Room Mystery (Joseph Spector Series) by Tom Mead on my Kindle. I have read all the preceding books and enjoyed them all. Recommended for those interested in learning about a fictional retired magician in 1930s Britain who solves impossible cases as an advisor to Scotland Yard. I like the mix of crime and stage magic.

I sleep after that, setting back on the AC, and wake up later, feeling cold. I managed to sleep until, as I said at the start, until 3ish.

Thanks for reading!

 

(Grammarly dropped my past tense — I did not notice…sorry if it bounces back and forth).

I rose around 6:30, as the sunrise woke me, and was awakened by many vivid dreams, making Tuesday morning’s rise hard. I had started packing the night before, and soon I was assembling my return to Oregon while doing all the usual morning stuff. I was extra careful to put everything on top of the luggage and not forget anything (except a few cookies). I first tried to be neat, but then I just stuffed it all in and sat on the bag until it closed. I have a ridiculously expensive bag that folds up into a suit carrier, too, and it always surprises me what those zippers can withstand. It can handle about two weeks of clothing plus a few days of extra T-shirts.

My carry-on, a red Nike gym bag, is heavy again with the 15″ Apple adding the most weight. Although I like the screen on my 2023 model MacBook Air (an M2 with 24 GB of memory and 2 TB of fast solid-state storage), and the colors are wonderful, a smaller footprint would be a better fit, which is what I mainly saw at HOPE_16. You can open the 13″ in an airplane; it weighs about the same as a book, and a maxed-out one from Apple is about $2,100 (and a used 14″ slightly older model at OWC with less storage for about half).

I head to breakfast down in the lobby. I sit with a friend I made, Savy (I think that is the spelling), at HOPE_16. She has to rush as her and her husband’s flight is in the late morning. We talked for a while. I managed to finish the blog, though I rushed that last bit of writing as I was time-boxed, and thanked the staff.

With everything put away and in one of two bags (except the last two Milano Cookies), I checked again and headed out. While not overly emotional, I always look back at the hotel room, my home while I was there, and wish it well and thanks. The front desk woman takes my bags to hold until my return and room key. I head out and order an Uber to the Queens Zoo, which I know is close to the US Open (tennis, for those who don’t speak sports), and there may be some challenges. Tickets to the small zoo, recommended by Rev. Ann, are timed-entry, and I picked the opening time the night before.

The Uber dropped me at the museum, and I had to walk back to the park, where I then headed to the Queens Zoo, which is located inside. It is a lovely park. I reached the zoo, with the back pain from yesterday returning, but fades, and watched them open the gates a moment later.

It is a small and happy zoo. The animals looked well, and the glass was so clean that when the mountain lion passed within a few feet of me, I jumped back as it looked at me! A giant aviary with a slow spiral up and back down path, which walked you through the trees, was a surprise. Sea lions are at the center of the park, and they were barking and seemed to enjoy posing for photographs. The fluffy cows (bison) were set far back to prevent anyone from petting them (terrible idea).

The zoo is arranged in a circular layout with paths that allow visitors to see the animals. Most of the space is for the animals. Only the outer path is paved, which makes it feel more natural. For lunch at their Zoo Truck, I had a pair of hot dogs with fries and a Diet Coke. I regretted that they had only honey mustard and no onions for the dogs. Still, it was nice to sit in the shade, have a dog, read my new novel on my Kindle app, and listen to the crowd and the sea lions.

The place was full of little summer campers. The summer camps are finishing up as schools begin to start up, and visiting the Queens Zoo today seemed to be on the last things to do list. The mostly flat walking, the limited use of paving, and open spaces seemed ready-made for little people in mass. I saw many tiny campers walking while holding a rope, and all had matching T-shirts; even the adults who were helping were in matching shirts.

(It is huge!)

The 1964 World Fair was held in Queens, and this area is now a park made from those grounds (The same can be found in Spokane). I saw the giant Earth statue and other familiar (Men in Black) structures. The fountains were empty and many structures were being repaired, but it looked like the place was cared for, if not loved.

It was still a bit early, but it was hot, and I started trying to find my way out and to an Uber. I instead found the US Open and, though a hedge blocked my view, I could hear the play, “love.” I asked for help and was directed back to the same park where the Queens Zoo is located. I walked out of the park and down to a parking lot.

My Uber driver could not find me. Traffic was a mess. I slowly used the app to locate him. He was parked waiting for me on the street. He apologized, and I still gave him a large tip and a good rating. The traffic was messy from the US Open, but he got me back to my hotel without issue (but there were a few abrupt stops, horns, and one dodge).

I retrieved my luggage and soon had to walk out into traffic to get the Q75 bus (like last time). I read some and then watch the area go by. I try to see what I remember from the trip inbound, a game I play on buses (“where am I?”). I got off the bus and then wheeled to the wrong building. A friendly Info Desk person directed me to the next building. I was happy to find that the escalator at the Jamaica AirTrain building was working, and soon I was sitting on the train. It was standing room only.

Arriving, I took the escalators into Terminal 4, Delta. There was a line for printing tags at Delta that was three or more deep. This DIY luggage setup becomes messy when there are not enough machines to handle the momentary surge in people checking in. The space was crowded, and my situational awareness training was on red alert with the crowding.

My turn on a machine came after a short wait. This was after a young woman tried three times, until the machine, using her name, directed her to an agent. I felt for her — her USA passport scan was not enough (yikes!). I had no issue printing my luggage tag and dropping it off.

Security was 45 45-minute wait in total chaos. My situational awareness exploded. There was nobody directing people except for an occasional shout to go one way or another. I saw one man lead a whole collection of folks across the terminal to another line start location! Folks were cutting in and out of line. Clear was being sold, and it was clear that the only people working the crowd were the Clear folks, and this mess was to their advantage.

A man, in dark sunglasses, told me that my Real ID was good enough for free usage today (I had a passport card in my carry-on in case my wallet gets stolen or lost), and all I had to do was walk out of the line, and I would be on my way. Twenty minutes into the line, I finally reached the start. WTF! TSA was saying from here, rather Disney-like, that this was the start of the line, and it would be 30-35 minutes from there. It was an accurate count. TSA is misleading people by stating JFK has a 30-35 minute wait, when it’s actually closer to an hour, by measuring the wait from halfway.

I saw someone drop their stuff and then abandon it, as if there was no hope, and all of us commented that someone should help them. None of the TSA, Clear, or other folks helped. We were all too intimidated to leave our lines. It was more like a Soviet-style experience getting bread than a security process.

I was fed up, and with all this time, I connected with TSA on my browser in my iPhone and filed “TSA Customer Service Response: SR: 07406575 – Webform submission from: Complaint.” Yes, I had plenty of time to fill this out. I would suggest others do it when stupid happens. I did receive a response that night that was so corporate it made me laugh.  I took their customer service survey today and did not rate them very highly.

Here is the response, enjoy. Reading this, I am so happy that coercing passengers is not part of their job. And I was right, there are no TSA agents to get you in the right lines. It is up to you, alone in a crowd, to find a way in the maze to the actual TSA folks. I am also sure that asking for a TSA supervisor while trying to get through security is something I want — NOT! Here:

According to this, Delta Airlines is contracting Clear, not TSA. The whole mess is on Delta and not TSA. While it is hard for me to understand why this is, it is the usual finger-pointing I was expecting. TSA did not make it unsafe; Delta did, and I am sure Delta would say that TSA is responsible for the lines and security. Ugh!

My laptop and carry-on were waiting for me once I began the actual two-minute or so process.  I was told by the TSA that I was invisible. It took five scans to determine that my junk, yes, that, might contain something dangerous (so many jokes). After a thorough public check (so many jokes), I was released.

As you can imagine, the bar bill was a bit high after that. I found a sort of Mexican-style joint on the way to my gate that had Heineken on tap, my favorite, and it is hard to find in this world of excellently made local beers. Chips and salsa and then tacos. The man sitting next to me was relaxed as his flight had been moved from the morning to the evening and had a few drinks while waiting.

I mangled a signal and ended up with another Oh-My-F**king-God expensive draft beer. I was pretty relaxed by that and would drop my phone on the plane and not get it back until after we landed in Portland. Oops.

I waited only twenty minutes or less before boarding and then relaxed (except for cutting my arm trying to retrieve my phone — don’t reach under the seat!). The blood was not much, and I ignored it (three small sets of punctures that had been on my neck would have suggested a vampire visit). I watched some movies, had some coffee, and enjoyed some cookies.

It was not a really memorable trip, and soon we landed (but two beers helped, I think), retrieved my effects and phone, found my bag at baggage claim, and headed out. The metal tag on the checked bag was bent up more. I soon was on MAX and traveled through Portland to Beaverton.

I found a quick Uber home, again a nice tip, and soon found my PJs and was quickly asleep.

Thanks for reading.